This invention relates generally to a door hinge assembly and, more particularly, to a door hinge assembly for use in an electrical appliance enclosure.
Electrical appliance cabinets, such as motor control centers, are enclosures which typically feature removable doors. The doors are oftentimes shipped apart from the main enclosure. Thereafter, the door is installed on the housing by means of a hinge assembly, which typically includes a hinge and a hinge pin. In most instances, the hinge assembly is included with the door itself.
During shipping, it is desirable to prevent the hinge pin coming out of the hinge and becoming lost. One method of accomplishing this is to simply apply a length of adhesive taping to the hinge pin, thereby keeping it secured directly within the hinge itself or secured to some other area within the door assembly. Alternatively, some manufacturers will opt to attach a temporary xe2x80x9csecuring memberxe2x80x9d to the hinge pin, such as a gasket, to keep the pin positioned within the hinge. A third method is to provide a hinge pin having a pair of flexible legs, the ends of which are outwardly bent after insertion into the hinge, thereby locking the pin in place.
In any case, however, it becomes necessary at some point to remove the taping or gasket such that the hinge pin can be temporarily removed from the hinge during installation of the door onto the housing. Once the securing means is disposed of, it may then be difficult to secure or keep track of the hinge pin should the door need to be removed subsequent to its initial installation. This is often the case where it is desired to make repairs within the motor control center, or when it is desired to relocate unit doors within a motor control section. A need, therefore, exists for a hinge assembly which allows for relatively easy insertion and removal of a hinge pin within a hinge, as well as the ability to securely store the hinge pin in a xe2x80x9cdisengagedxe2x80x9d position without the need for an external securing means.
The above discussed and other drawbacks and deficiencies of the prior art are overcome or alleviated by a door hinge assembly for use in an electrical appliance cabinet. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a door hinge assembly for use in an electrical appliance cabinet includes a door hinge member having a door plate attached to one side of an elbow, a hinge pin sleeve attached to the opposite side of the elbow, and a flange extending upwardly from the elbow. A hinge pin is removably engageable with the hinge pin sleeve, which is further removably engageable with a top edge on the flange.
In a preferred embodiment, the flange has a ledge surface formed within the top edge thereof, with the hinge pin being removably engageable with the ledge surface. The flange also includes a notched portion formed within a bottom edge thereof, with the hinge pin being pivotally engageable with the notched portion.